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"Verbal Abuse" report claims seem excessive - what am I doing wrong?

ikyn·1/28/2016, 9:54:15 PM·7 votes·1,611 views

Over the last couple of months, especially since the revamp of the reporting system, I've noticed that I'm oftentimes reported for "Verbal Abuse".

Now I know what you're thinking: Oh here we go, another toxic guy trying to justify his toxicity...

Let me start by saying that I've noticed an improvement in the game. For the most part, players are getting better about what's said in chat. I've been playing this game since Caitlyn was a new champion, just released, so I've witnessed just about everything you could imagine.

I've noticed I've been getting that little popup that says "Verbal Abuse" quite a lot more often that I'd like. Yes, I'll openly admit that I vent some frustration during matches. Am I right for doing so in a vulgar manner? Absolutely not. I'm not questioning those times. I totally understand why I'd get reported. I'm military, and we tend to use words and phrases that most civilians don't tolerate, but habits are hard to break.

What I'm noticing is I'll make a comment, something along the lines of "Hey man, please stop feeding that Yasuo mid. Can you try not extending so far out?" And I'll get a report about it. I mean, sure, it's not the nicest thing to say. It's not the best way to phrase it, but is that really verbal abuse? Honestly, it seems like the only times I don't get reported is when I don't use the chat function at all. I'm certain that I'm biased in this judgement, but I'm feeling like players are so encouraged to report what they deem is a reportable event at every opportunity available. So if they are offended by suggestions or criticisms, even if the intent is to be constructive, it is seen as abuse. Now this may be due to a saturation of oversensitivity due to their backgrounds and upbringings, etc. , but I'm going to guess that Riot doesn't really care about someone's level of sensitivity. Perceived abuse is still abuse, and while that can be argued (and I'm sure it has on this board, I haven't read any posts on this board yet) I don't intend to make that argument here. So if every player is so quick to jump on the report function, I feel like it's not worth communicating with my team. I have a lot of time and money invested into my account. I do not with to jeopardize that with other players that I feel are oversensitive. (Again, whether or not they objectively are is not my intended argument - I'm just trying to explain my view). I almost feel like Riot's current system is a disincentive to communicate with your team. That's just my conclusion. You're free to have your own feelings on the matter.

I will say that I have taken conscious efforts to decrease/minimize my frustration venting. I've turned /allchat off. Playful banter with the enemy team isn't welcome anymore, and most people will find it offensive and report you. I also minimize my chat use at all, except for calling out summoner spell uses by the enemy team or objective calls, etc. In the end, I'm human - I give in to that lizard brain sometimes and mess it up. I don't like that I'm doing it. I'm sorry that I did it. Do I have anger issues? Yes, and I'm in therapy for such, as are many other military personnel around me. But I'm not looking to justify my actions just because I personally have issues. I want to be part of the solution, not the problem. I want to help people, and encourage them to play better (my team anyway, not my opponents :) ). More times I'll get Teamwork, Helpful, Friendly or Honorable Opponent than I get Verbal Abuse. Honestly, I'm happy to get the feedback. What prompted me to write this dissertation was another of those popups. I've been contemplating writing something to this nature for some time, but I do fear the community going on a witch hunt for me, and seeing me as toxic scum that should be banned - when really I'm just trying to get a better understanding of what's acceptable, how to understand the current playerbase better, and takes steps to improve my overall conduct to improve the game for those around me.

Something that I would really like to see is basically a "Conduct Report Card":

  1. Let you see a trend of your positive player interactions (honor) and see your progression to the banner
  2. Let you see your trends of negative behavior, let you see your current reports flagged against you, and relevant chat that might have been flagged
  3. HAVE THE ABILITY TO MUTE YOURSELF - something that you can only do at the client level, before the match starts, so that you can't type anything during the match. In 99% of situations I can communicate just fine with pings. Allow me to muzzle myself.

Honestly, I just want to be a positive influence on the playerbase. I'm honestly trying, but any time you try to call out the trolls, the players engaged in unsportsmanlike or rude conduct, etc. - by saying anything, you just look like the bad guy, and end up getting reported. I understand that telling people that their behavior is negatively influencing my enjoyment of the game only fuels them. I just have such a hard time keeping my cool when my own team starts actively working against me. But I'll digress before I rant any further.

Thank you for taking the time to read and consider my input.

Very Respectfully,

ikyn

24 Comments

Jungle Kitten1/28/2016, 10:42:15 PM3 votes

Many people have difficulties with frustration about the game. Given the opportunity, a "MUTE SELF" button might have the desired effect.

I feel your pain man. It feels like a lot of these players are being little tattle-tales, but how do you feel when you're getting flamed?

SoberToaster1/28/2016, 11:42:40 PM2 votes

nazi. I love how in a chat ban when it shows you what you said it doesn't list the other player's chat. i've been chat banned several time. ALL of which was either snowballing from a simple rage death comment like "fuckin shen so gimicky" (not real comment, just example) then instead of just accepting that i'm frustrated that i died and may not actually hate shen, teamate start abusing you "no you just suck hahaha, wow whats with your summoners/items etc do you even runes blah blah"

OR just straight getting abused because you died or something for minutes until you say something back, then get little kid logic'd that somehow your the asshole, primarily because you don't waste your time allchatting report politics on who's the bigger "toxic troll etc etc"

DREADN0UGHT1/29/2016, 12:33:35 AM1 votes

I feel you x10. I was never punished since the new systtem came out but I get those "reported" popups nearly 3/5 times.... I'm a sarcastic guy, and sometimes I'll admit I can be super obnoxious but its not like I' calling anyone our or anything.

Most of the shit I say resembles stuff like: "we've been under tower for the past 3 minutes but don't mind us, that gromp doe"

If that makes a jungler tilt, then idk what to say.

Sqùìrrèl1/29/2016, 4:39:35 AM1 votes

Yeah I'm about fed up with this reporting stuff. I've had 4 warnings and I never curse at other people. I've been verbally abused, told to kill myself, etc. and these people I'm seeing repeatedly in games, continuing the behavior. Even if I mute them, I see others pointing out the toxic person's' bad behavior. It's ridiculous.

Bowstin1/29/2016, 5:39:58 AM1 votes

This actually happens a lot to me. Typically, there are kids crine and mashing their face into keyboards filling the all chat with absolute garbage. I respond with something clever to stir up some jimmiz and suddenly I'm now toxic and getting reported by 3 other players. Not to mention I've been playing in EUNE recently and it's twice as bad. They can't comprehend basic English, so they get offended by anything and everything. A delusional, toxic bunch I tell ya. Next thing you know, I'm facing restricted chat games.

Besides the point, Rito Reform system allows this to happen and actually encourages it. The system in place was designed to respond to reports as quickly as possible, an average of 15 minutes after the report was sent.

ModJikker1/29/2016, 5:23:31 PM1 votes

{quoted}

Something that I would really like to see is basically a "Conduct Report Card":

  1. Let you see a trend of your positive player interactions (honor) and see your progression to the banner
  2. Let you see your trends of negative behavior, let you see your current reports flagged against you, and relevant chat that might have been flagged

Riot -- hire this guy. No, I'm serious! In my opinion, this is a brilliant plan and something I'm surprised Lyte the Great hasn't figured out yet. There was something somewhat similar to this in Runescape where we had a meter that went from green to red to show how close you were to bans. Over time, good behaviour would lower the meter while bad behaviour would raise the meter and of course some behaviour did escalate it immediately (i.e. the use of bots or hacks).

In my opinion, Riot is spending too much time trying to make automated systems that take care of AFKs (it doesn't catch the smart ones), feeders (catches bad games, sometimes ignores true feeders), flaming/raging chat (flawed in many ways), and other toxic behaviour. They are missing out on one of the key parts of managing behaviour in games -- reform and recognition of improved/good behaviour. Yes you do get a reform card, but that's after the fact and if this board is any proof, most people don't know how to read one of those. We had a good start with the free skin for positive players with no punishments on their record, but that mostly fell off. Even the "no Ranked rewards" attempt just affected the actually small portion of the population that plays Ranked and only those Gold or above probably cared which isn't even the majority. We need a revamp to the honour system and more benefits for people that are regularly honoured and/or possess a ribbon plus easier ways to get ribbons and/or more incentives to honour your opponents.

rl;dr - What we should have is a meter that shows how close or far away we are from punishments, the Conduct Report Cards you suggested, and a revamped honour system. Focus on the positive behaviour rather than the negative and give more ways for players to reform themselves along with a clear deadline on when their behaviour is going to get them in trouble.

EsRoEn1/29/2016, 10:38:47 PM1 votes

this is 1 game from wich i was permaban without never having a chat restriction!

[1:15] EsRoEn (Ekko): guys try pay attention where i put the CIRCLE (W) ..i will ping on the place.. try fight in it [1:16] EsRoEn (Ekko): ok? [1:17] EsRoEn (Ekko): pls [1:58] EsRoEn (Ekko): ty [3:16] EsRoEn (Ekko): cant ..low hp [4:03] EsRoEn (Ekko): dont push pls [7:00] EsRoEn (Ekko): rengar [8:25] EsRoEn (Ekko): nice [9:52] EsRoEn (Ekko): why you push so much [9:55] EsRoEn (Ekko): u saw him there [10:00] EsRoEn (Ekko): wtf u are so cocky? [11:53] EsRoEn (Ekko): told u [11:54] EsRoEn (Ekko): go back [12:27] EsRoEn (Ekko): i cant gank nowere [12:29] EsRoEn (Ekko): u push [13:01] EsRoEn (Ekko): ... [13:03] EsRoEn (Ekko): 100 pings [13:05] EsRoEn (Ekko): come f blue [13:48] EsRoEn (Ekko): lucain got my rep [13:53] EsRoEn (Ekko): mute now [13:57] EsRoEn (Ekko): for fed and trashtalker [15:13] EsRoEn (Ekko): pathetic [15:16] EsRoEn (Ekko): .. [15:18] EsRoEn (Ekko): the fed [15:19] EsRoEn (Ekko): 3 kills [15:20] EsRoEn (Ekko): rengar [15:25] EsRoEn (Ekko): and u tell me to shut up [15:27] EsRoEn (Ekko): lol [15:30] EsRoEn (Ekko): so bad bot [15:49] EsRoEn (Ekko): cuz i did not saw him ..he1 hit me [15:50] EsRoEn (Ekko): stfup [16:10] EsRoEn (Ekko): ok ...premades [16:12] EsRoEn (Ekko): muted also [22:35] [All] EsRoEn (Ekko): would be nice of u to help us with lucain and kha..they refuse to cooperate, they curse the team, trashtlaking, and blame ty [22:39] [All] EsRoEn (Ekko): premades ofc [23:01] [All] EsRoEn (Ekko): khoz :D [27:39] EsRoEn (Ekko): they are 4 [28:12] EsRoEn (Ekko): xD [28:51] EsRoEn (Ekko): bight them [29:16] EsRoEn (Ekko): 3 hits kayle [29:27] [All] EsRoEn (Ekko): wp [29:42] [All] EsRoEn (Ekko): dont forget..lucian and vel.toxic and afk (vel) [32:39] EsRoEn (Ekko): leona..i did circle and ping and engage in it [32:41] EsRoEn (Ekko): like 100 times [32:48] EsRoEn (Ekko): and u cant stun enemys in my circles [32:52] EsRoEn (Ekko): would be a double stun [32:57] EsRoEn (Ekko): with a lot of time..and dmg [33:02] EsRoEn (Ekko): can u pay attention Please? [35:05] EsRoEn (Ekko): leona gj dude [35:08] EsRoEn (Ekko): 3 fights in a row [35:10] EsRoEn (Ekko): same shit [35:12] EsRoEn (Ekko): instant die [35:14] EsRoEn (Ekko): ... [35:21] EsRoEn (Ekko): is u premade with vel also? [35:25] EsRoEn (Ekko): and lucian or what? [37:15] EsRoEn (Ekko): 0 wards [37:19] EsRoEn (Ekko): 0 objectives [37:30] EsRoEn (Ekko): drake up ...3 of you in top jungle [37:31] EsRoEn (Ekko): ^^ [37:57] EsRoEn (Ekko): leona [38:00] EsRoEn (Ekko): YOU ARE ZERO DUDE [38:02] EsRoEn (Ekko): zerooo [38:05] EsRoEn (Ekko): 0 objective [38:07] EsRoEn (Ekko): 0 wards [38:08] EsRoEn (Ekko): 0 help [38:42] [All] EsRoEn (Ekko): lucian flashes into 3 enemys [38:43] [All] EsRoEn (Ekko): :D [38:51] [All] EsRoEn (Ekko): and tlaking about rnaks [38:52] [All] EsRoEn (Ekko): ranks xD

As you can see, not being in the context of the game its really strange. I write quite fast, and in a game where every single sec counts, i dont think people have the time to search for the "nicest" words and the most "constructive" advices. if you need to tell your team come drake, you say: COME DRAKE! if they refuse..you dont start explaining them, you just say: COME DRAKE FFS! this is toxic in riot eyes and in a lot of kids whos mommy is beside them when they play ! Is absurde. I wish you could see what the guys in my team were saying since minute 2..how they flame and call nobs others. how they flame me cause i had no mana to help them. etc. look when i started loosing my calm. even so i did not told them what they deserved!

one thing i notices, another game that i was found guitly on was because i spoked to much with my premade in other language where there were lots of ****. my premades (in 4 years of lol) always curisng.and insulting.. they have like ...3 or 4 sentences in the entire game sounding like: "you sob, fu," etc etc. but only 2 or 3. NEVER EVEN GOT A CHAT BAN! me on the other hand because i talk a lot, and even if my tlaking is in most of games like i started this one (giving advices like: guys try pay attention where i put the CIRCLE (W) ..i will ping on the place.. try fight in it) i get banned for extreme toxicity! i found it hillarious and extreemly stupid and immature!

yea i got mad, DID I said something that was undeserved? did I trolled and flame with no reason? why doesn't riot judge things corectly? when you are acused by something you also have the right to defend yourself. ofc i sent an email asking why i was never attentioned and never chat restricted to understand that i have a bad conduct? i got a permaban from some games that i played in 3 days. in just 3 days of playing lol like 8 hours every day, i had some bad games yes. from like 30 games played i had 6...8 games where i had this attitude. my premades that play 1 or 2 hours a day and are lot more negative and abusing, never get banned. i am just saying this because riot has to stop being a NAZZI/DICTATORIAL corporation. I spent money in that game I DESERVE SAME TREATEMNT AS EVERYONE ELSE. all people had a chat restriction. i never had one. and after some intense 3 days of playing a lot ofc i get more reports than when i play 2 games a day... they consider me toxic.

Pisdov2/1/2016, 1:06:06 AM1 votes

if that was the only thing you did, i'd be very surprised. that would not get you a 14-day ban. ive been playing off and on for years, i've been extremely toxic in the past and it took a while to get a 14day ban. havent had any issues in over a year now, even with occasionally flaming. im not perfect. ;/

WinBoat1/28/2016, 11:06:46 PM1 votes

I was extremely toxic on my other account bro. Was just one report away from a perma ban. I made this account, and have not been hit with a chat restriction ever since. My other account had over 10 chat restrictions, most back to back and had a 14 day ban.

For me, I think it's wrong in a way. Doesn't excuse your actions by no means, you were toxic, you deserve it. However, I think the United States is just too soft without tough skin, and have been sheltered by Riot to be a good little boy and say nothing and run to the police after instead of defending themselves. I strongly feel some people need to be put in their place when they screw up. Coaches, military instructors, and a ton of other people give people shit all the time, it's part of the job and who they are, and those players, and military members have to endure it and it sometimes makes them try harder you know? So when you see a noob in the game, you should call them out honestly, but YOU CAN'T.

I hate premades the most that wait for you to say something, then they all jump on you and report you.